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The Kitchen Island With a Twist: How We Designed Our Most Unique Island Yet & Sources Included!

  • 4 days ago
  • 4 min read

An unexpected two-tiered kitchen island became the solution to an awkward layout and the centerpiece of Project Zen With a Twist.


I LOVE when a client gives us a clear feeling from day one.

For this young, active family, the brief was: functional, calm, relaxed, bright, happy and above all, welcoming. They wanted less clutter, better flow, and a kitchen that naturally brought everyone together.


Bright modern kitchen with white cabinets, wood island, brass lights, pastries and flowers on counters, and a sunny window.
Interior Design: Design & Curations, Photo Credit: Evren Suda
In this blog, I'm breaking down exactly how we made this unusual island work; including dimensions, structural considerations, materials , and the hidden kitchen features I'd absolutely use again!

The WHY

The house was new to them, and they wanted to make it their own, starting with the spaces that work the hardest: the kitchen and laundry/mudroom.


The challenge? The kitchen was a wide rectangle with an awkward opening, no island, and a layout that didn't feel balanced. A traditional rectangular island could have fit but it didn't feel like the right answer.

So we designed something we've never done before: a custom two-tiered kitchen island that combines a narrow working island with a 4-foot round stone dining table.


And that was only the beginning. We also designed a seamless pantry and refrigerator wall, a hidden appliance garage with pocket doors, flexible fluted detailing, and storage around the way this family actually lives.

The Brief: Zen... But With a Twist

We wanted the kitchen to feel calm and bright, but calm doesn't have to mean boring.

That little bit of tension became the concept behind the whole project: Zen With a Twist.


  • Modern organic kitchen with warm oak cabinetry, white cabinets, brass hardware, marble countertops, open wood shelving, and a textured backsplash, showcasing a bright and functional kitchen design.
    Project Zen with a Twist - Details
  • Modern organic kitchen with warm oak cabinetry, white cabinets, brass hardware, marble countertops, open wood shelving, and a textured backsplash, showcasing a bright and functional kitchen design.
    Project Zen with a Twist - Details
  • Modern organic kitchen with warm oak cabinetry, white cabinets, brass hardware, marble countertops, open wood shelving, and a textured backsplash, showcasing a bright and functional kitchen design.
    Project Zen with a Twist - Details

The Challenge: A Wide Kitchen Without an Island

The existing kitchen was a wide rectangle with no island, and the openings around it created an interesting, slightly unbalanced flow.


We knew we needed something closer to an L-shape to anchor the room and make the circulation make sense.

  • Before-and-after comparison of a kitchen renovation, showing the original dark wood cabinetry and open floor plan alongside the redesigned bright kitchen with warm oak cabinetry, white finishes, a large island, and improved L-shaped flow.
    Project Zen with a Twist - BEFORE
  • Before-and-after comparison of a kitchen renovation, showing the original dark wood cabinetry and open floor plan alongside the redesigned bright kitchen with warm oak cabinetry, white finishes, a large island, and improved L-shaped flow.
    Project Zen with a Twist - 3D Render

Before vs 3D Render


A standard rectangular kitchen island could have technically worked. But it felt too... expected.

And a little too hard for the feeling we were trying to create.


Instead, we started playing with the idea of layering two shapes and two functions together: a narrow rectangular working island paired with a round dining table.

That's when everything clicked.


Bright modern kitchen with white cabinets, wood chairs, round island, waffles on a plate, and fruit bowl on the counter.

The result is a custom two-tiered kitchen island where the dining table appears to intersect with the working island.

The rectangular portion provides the functional kitchen workspace, while the lower round stone table creates a softer place to sit, eat, gather, do homework, or simply hang out while someone is cooking.

I love what the curve does here. It breaks up all the straight cabinetry and makes this fairly large kitchen instantly feel softer and more inviting.

And visually? It became the moment.


Making the Round Table (Second Tier) Actually Work


Kitchen island design rendering with labeled details: concealed outlet, waterfall edge, fluted panel and base, in a wood kitchen.

Of course, designing a beautiful curve is one thing. Figuring out how to build it is another. :)


We wrapped the ends of the island in fluted wood panels and carried the same detail onto the round pedestal base. Repeating the material helped the two pieces read as one intentional design rather than a table simply pushed against an island.


Kitchen island design diagram with round table and fluted base, floor plan and 3D views, labeled dimensions,

The stone dining top is approximately 4 feet in diameter, so we also needed to think carefully about support. The pedestal is approximately 20 inches in diameter, with additional brackets concealed underneath to properly carry the stone.


And one practical note if you're considering something similar: use flexible fluted panels for the round pedestal. That flexibility is what allows you to get the smooth wrap around the curve. I've linked ours below. ↴

Planning a Kitchen Renovation? Take These 4 Ideas With You


1. Don't automatically default to a rectangular island. Let the room's circulation and your family's routines determine the shape.

2. Combine functions. An island can be prep space, storage, dining, homework, and gathering—all without looking oversized.

3. Hide the hardworking stuff. Integrated appliances, pantry walls, and appliance garages can dramatically reduce visual clutter.

4. Repeat materials to connect unusual shapes. Using the same fluted wood on our island and round pedestal is what made two different forms feel like one design.


Kitchen Sources

Looking for some of the selections we used in Project Zen With a Twist? Here you go:


Thinking About Your Own Kitchen?

Before you start with cabinet colors or countertops, start with this:

How do you want your kitchen to function and how do you want to feel when you're in it?

Sometimes the answer is a traditional island. Sometimes it's an appliance garage.

And sometimes... it's a four-foot round stone table intersecting an island. :)


At Design & Curations, our Atlanta luxury interior design studio, we design renovations around real life first, then layer in the details that make them feel special.


Ready to rethink the heart of your home? Explore our work and inquire about your project at Design & Curations.


xo, Burcu

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